Lured to their brutal deaths

Fiona Bone, 32, and Nicola Hughes, 23, were responding to what appeared to be a routine burglary report in Hattersley, Greater Manchester, shortly before 11am yesterday when up to 13 shots were fired and a grenade thrown.

Miss Bone died at the scene, while Miss Hughes was critically injured and died later in hospital.

Police say the burglary report was fake and soon after the shooting, one-eyed Dale Cregan, 29, who has been the subject of a nationwide manhunt in connection with separate gun and grenade murders of a father and son, handed himself in at a nearby police station. He was arrested for the murders of the two officers and the killings of David and Mark Short.

It is the first time two women police officers have been murdered in the line of duty and they are the first female officers shot dead since the killing of PC Sharon Beshenivsky in Bradford in 2005.

Greater Manchester Chief Constable Sir Peter Fahy said yesterday he believed Dale Cregan made the fake 999 burglary call or had someone else do it before the officers were attacked.

“It would appear Cregan has deliberately done this in an act of cold-blooded murder,” he told a Press conference, adding the motive for the attack was “impossible to fathom”.

Two people from the house were helping police with their enquiries last night.

Eyewitnesses reported hearing a hail of bullets and then an explosion shortly before 11am.

The scene was quickly cordoned off, as a helicopter hovered overhead and a bomb disposal vehicle attended. Other police officers were said to have run away from the scene in tears.

Police at the house later formed a guard of honour as a private ambulance, thought to be carrying Miss Bone’s body, drove from the cordon.

Colleagues paid tribute to Miss Hughes, describing her as a “chatterbox” who was “always smiling”, and said Miss Bone was a “calm, gentle woman”, an “excellent bobby” who was in the middle of planning her wedding.

“These were two officers going about their normal duty,” Sir Peter said. “Like all officers they went to a variety of incidents not knowing what it was that they would face.

“Clearly the police service is not perfect, we know there have been a number of high-profile incidents, but below that, day in, day out, police officers go about their duty, go into dangerous situations, unexpected situations, and show great bravery, great courage and are with people at the very worst moments in their lives. This is exactly what these two officers were doing.”

The murders sparked horror across the country. Prime Minister David Cameron said: “What we have seen is the absolutely despicable act of pure evil.

“The cold blooded murder of two female police officers doing their job out there protecting the public is another reminder of the incredible risks and great work our police service does. My thoughts and I think the thoughts of the whole country will be with their families at this impossibly difficult time.”

The chairman of the Police Federation of England and Wales, Paul McKeever, said: “This is devastating news and our thoughts and prayers are with their families, friends and colleagues at this extremely difficult time.

“This tragedy makes us all stop and reflect on the very real dangers police officers face every day serving their local communities.

“These extremely courageous officers have sadly paid the ultimate price for their selfless actions and no words can express our regret, nor comfort their families.